After Big Anthony starts working for the “Grandma Witch," Strega Nona, he starts noticing something special about her pasta cooking pot. One night, he observes her cooking through a window and sees that she can command the pot to cook pasta for her. The next day, when Strega Nona went into town, she warned him once again to keep to his chores and never touch the special pot. When curiosity gets the best of him, the entire town feels the effects of his poor judgment and curiosity. Read this exciting and bewildering tale about Big Anthony, and how it pays to observe carefully and obey the words of authority. 30 pgs, pb. ~ Brianna
,When Strega Nona leaves him alone with her magic pasta pot, Big Anthony is determined to show the townspeople how it works in this classic Caldecott Honor book from Tomie dePaola.
Strega Nona--"Grandma Witch"--is the source for potions, cures, magic, and comfort in her Calabrian town. Her magical everfull pasta pot is especially intriguing to hungry Big Anthony. He is supposed to look after her house and tend her garden but one day, when she goes over the mountain to visit Strega Amelia, Big Anthony recites the magic verse over the pasta pot, with disastrous results.
In this retelling of an old tale, author-illustrator Tomie dePaola combines humor in the writing and warmth in the paintings as he builds the story to its hilarious climax.
